You Needed Me
by lostandalone2011
Summary: A Swan Queen love story chronicling their journey to togetherness. This story now includes Irene Adler. Please see the Author's Note in Chapter 4 for more details.
1. Chapter 1

**You Needed Me**

**A/N: **This story is inspired by Anne Murray's song "You Needed Me". I intend to break the lyrics of the song into instances that show Emma and Regina's growth as a couple. This is my first attempt at writing in general, let alone fanfiction. So all comments, reviews, criticisms, and suggestions are most welcome.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything.

_I cried a tear, you wiped it dry_

She couldn't sleep. Every night that Emma would pick the night shift at the station, Regina couldn't sleep. She missed Emma's warmth against her body, her gentle and loving caress on her back. But what she missed most was Emma's need to hold her.

After tossing and turning fruitlessly for an hour now, Regina finally gave up and went into her study. Once there, she didn't switch on the lights to read or finish up paperwork. Instead she switched on the radio and stared out into her garden. She noticed how her dear apple tree was in its full bloom. It had even grown back the branch that Emma had chopped off to spite her when she first came to Storybrooke. Regina smiled at that thought, how angry she had been with Emma and how many times both of them did their best to one up the other. All in the name of proving who could be a better mother to Henry.

Now that the dust had settled, Regina tried thinking back to the time she first started developing feelings for The Savior, that didn't involve ripping her heart out and crushing it to dust. Although she could remember all the times she felt grateful to Emma for saving her life, she could not remember the exact moment when she fell in love with her. After they got back from Neverland, nothing was the same between them. Somewhere between sawing the branch off her beloved tree and saving Henry from Pan, they fell in love. Neither woman knew how or when it happened, but both were secretly glad that it did. Not that they would admit this to anyone, let alone themselves, anytime soon.

The journey to togetherness started when Emma was late picking up Henry from school. Once they settled into their daily routine after Neverland, Regina resumed office as the Mayor and Emma as the Sheriff. They had worked up a schedule wherein Henry would be able to send equal time with both his mothers. That day it was Emma's turn to pick him from school after which they were to spend the rest of the weekend together. However, when Emma did not show up 30 minutes after her scheduled time, Henry called Regina.

Mayor Mills was in her office winding up for the day when her phone flashed Henry's number.

"Hello Henry, how was your day?"

"It was fine Mom. I was wondering if you could give me a ride. I have been waiting outside school for Emma and she is not answering her phone."

"Of course, Sweetheart. I'll be there in 10 minutes. I'll bring you home and Miss Swan can pick you up from there later."

"Thanks Mom. See you soon."

If it were three years ago, Regina would have been thrilled, if not angry, that Emma had stood up her son. It would give her another reason for criticizing her maternal skills and pointing out her lack of responsibility. However, today she couldn't help but feel concerned. After what transpired in Neverland, Regina knew how much Emma not only cared for Henry's well-being, but also how Emma had put him first, even when those two blithering imbeciles were fighting for her attention. Just as Regina picked up her purse and keys and was getting ready to leave, her office landline rang.

Letting out a sigh, she answered the phone.

"This is Mayor Mills."

"Mayor Mills, this is Dr. Whale. I need your help with a delicate matter."

"What is it Whale? Did one of your patients sue you for non-consensual extraction of human body parts?" she asked sarcastically.

Whale said in a serious tone, "No, Regina. It's the Sheriff. She was in a car crash and brought in an hour ago. She is in bad shape and needs surgery"

"What! And you are calling me now. I mean, why are you calling me? Shouldn't you be calling her parents or some other next of kin?"

"I tried calling Snow and David, but both their phones are not reachable. I am calling you because..."

"Just hold on till I get there. In the meanwhile, do what you must to make sure she is okay. Nothing, and I repeat, nothing must happen to her. Make sure she survives this or I will rip your heart out to bring her back."

Regina went into panic mode the minute she realized Emma's life was in danger. But she had to keep herself together. She rushed to her car and was halfway to the hospital when she remembered she had to pick up Henry. She called the only other person she could think of, Belle. Although she was never kind to Belle in any world, Belle was forgiving after she learned how Regina had saved everyone's lives in Neverland. She even managed to convince Ruby to give Regina another chance.

Belle was happy to see Regina's call. Regina very rarely reached out to her, but she knew how much Regina needed a friend. "Hey, Regina, I was just about to call you. Would you like to join Ruby and me for dinner tonight? Since Henry is with Emma today, I thought you could use some company."

"Belle, listen to me. I need your help. Emma has been in an accident and I'm driving over to the hospital now. I need you to pick Henry from school and watch him." Regina barely managed to keep out the panic in her voice.

"That's terrible. Don't worry about Henry, I'll take care of him. Is there anything else you need?"

"Yes. Tell Henry to stay calm and that I will call him as soon as I know what's going on. Also, ask Ruby if she can track down Snow and David. Their phones are unreachable. I'll call you later once I learn more."

"Okay, Regina. I'm sure you can handle this. Just let me know if you need anything else."

"Thanks Belle."

Once Regina got to the hospital, she made a beeline for Dr. Whale's office. Despite the protestations from the receptionist, she walked straight into Dr. Whale's office.

"How is she?"

"She is stable for now. But there is a lot of internal bleeding and we need to operate soon to relieve the pressure on her lungs."

"So what are you waiting for?" bellowed Regina.

"We can't perform surgery until a family member signs the forms authorizing it."

"You listen to me carefully Dr. Whale because I am going to say this only once. Right now nothing matters more than Emma's life. You do what you need to do to save Emma. Leave the rest to me."

"But, Regina, it's against the rules..."

"I make the rules in this town! Now, I suggest you get on with your job before you lose it."

With that Whale sprinted off shouting instructions to prep Emma for surgery. He was bewildered with Regina's reaction, but now was not the time to think about it. As they got ready to move Emma into the OR, Regina's eyes welled up. But she quickly blinked them back, not wanting anyone to see them. She had surprised not only the entire hospital but even herself when she threatened Whale into operating on Emma. Sure, she no longer felt animosity towards her son's birth mother, but since when did she start caring about her well-being?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Snow and David came bursting through the doors enquiring about Emma. The receptionist pointed them in Regina's direction and Snow walked up to her with her jaw and fists clenched.

"What did you do to her?" demanded Snow.

"I didn't do anything. She was in a car accident and because you both were unreachable Whale called me. If it wouldn't have been for me, she would have died waiting for you to show up to sign some damn forms. She is in surgery now. I suggest you get on with your parental duties and fill the paperwork before the rest of the town shows up accusing me of misuse of power for saving your daughter's life."

Snow and David both looked dumbfounded at Regina. Since the time they had known Regina, either in this world or in the Enchanted Forest, the Evil Queen had never used her power for helping anyone, let alone the Charmings. Sure she used magic to save Henry and get them back for Neverland, she never showed any concern for the rest of the motley group. So her using her power as Mayor of Storybrook to save Emma came more as a shock rather than a surprise.

While David and Snow did the necessary paperwork, Regina called Henry to tell him what was going on. He insisted that he come to the hospital, but Regina told him to stay at home. There was no point building up a crowd at the hospital when all they had to do was wait. She promised him she would allow him to see her the minute she got the doctor's clearance. Once the surgery was over, Emma was wheeled into recovery. While Regina and the Charmings tried following her, Dr. Whale intercepted them and ushered them into his office.

"The surgery went well." He began.

"Though I'm not sure what would have happened had we waited any longer. But there is still one bit of concern."

"What is it?" asked a worried Snow.

"Emma lost a lot of blood and though we gave her the required transfusion, she is very weak. She needs complete bed rest until her broken ribs heal completely. If there is any sort of stress, her ribs might crack again and puncture her lungs."

"That's fine doctor. We can take it from here. But there is one thing we would like to know," asked Snow. "Why did you call Regina when you couldn't reach us?"

Regina was curious about that as well. But her mind was so preoccupied with worrying about Emma that she neglected to ask Whale this.

Dr. Whale shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He looked at all three of them and said, "She asked for it."

David looked confused, "Who asked for what?" Whale replied, "Emma asked for Regina." Regina's head snapped up at this. Whale continued,

"When Emma was brought in, she was flitting in and out of consciousness. Every time she would regain consciousness, she would ask for Regina. She said she needs to tell Regina something. But she never said what. When I told her I was trying to reach you and David, she tried to yell to call for Regina. She said she needed to tell Regina something before it was too late."

None of the three people in Dr. Whale's office could believe their ears. Why would Emma ask for Regina and more significantly, what was so important she needed Regina to know? Was Henry in some sort of danger again? Did Emma see something or someone that seemed to be a threat? Every time there was some impending danger, it was Emma who would raise the red flag first. Be it Tamara's presence in Storybrooke or the fact that Henry didn't seem like himself when they returned from Neverland, people would brush off Emma's gut feeling as nothing more than jealousy; present company included.

While these thoughts gnawed at Regina, she couldn't help feel a tiny bit of hope that perhaps Emma needed her. She needed her by her side to comfort her in pain. A small smile crept along the corners of Regina's mouth at this thought, but it was quickly replaced by a frown when she heard Snow address David.

"David, you need to go check on the site of the crash. See if there is any foul play involved." David nodded and replied, "I'll go at once. Maybe ask Ruby to see if her wolf senses detect something fishy. After all she used those fairly well to track us done quickly by the Troll Bridge." With that David left the room.

Meanwhile Snow and Regina made their way to Emma's room. When they entered, the site before them broke both their hearts; for very different reasons. Snow was upset at seeing her daughter surrounded by machines and tubes and realizing that she had almost lost her once again. Regina was sad because she never expected to see the strong, independent and fearless woman that she had begun to adore, lying in a hospital bed looking so fragile and weak. They both were lost in their own thoughts standing on opposite sides of the bed hearing Emma's labored breathing. Tears were freely flowing down Snow's face while Regina had a hard time swallowing the huge lump forming in her throat.

If it weren't for Snow's presence in the room, Regina would have taken Emma's hand and cried her heart out; cursing the Sheriff for getting into a stupid car crash while also praying for her speedy recovery. Just then, as an answer to her prayers, Snow's phone buzzed and she left the room to answer it saying it was David calling probably from the accident site.

Regina grabbed this opportunity and sat by the bed holding Emma's hand to her forehead. She let go her breadth and allowed one of her tears to escape. Just as she was ready to release more of them, a finger wiped her cheek dry. She looked up to see Emma's tired eyes looking fondly at her and her cut-up lip trying to smile through the oxygen mask. Regina was never more relieved to see those green eyes that were watching her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement or plagiarism intended.

_I was confused, you cleared my mind_

"Emma!" exclaimed Snow, who was as white as her name in this moment. "You're awake. I'll go get Dr. Whale."

Both Regina and Emma were startled by Snow's presence in the doorway. Regina quickly let go of Emma's hand and composed herself just in time as Snow came marching in the room with Dr. Whale at her heels. Dr. Whale checked Emma's vitals and responses and was pleased to see that the extent of the injuries had not affected her brain. He confirmed that Emma was indeed doing well after the surgery and it would only be a matter of days before she could be discharged. Regina was glad to hear this and she left the room giving Emma a quick, "Get well soon, Miss Swan," to call Henry and give him the happy news.

David arrived with Ruby at the hospital just as Regina was leaving. She told them both that Emma was awake now and Snow was with her. Ruby was so excited to see her friend; she reached Emma's room in three strides. Just as David was ready to hurry after her, Regina placed her hand on his arm stopping him and asked, "Did you find anything amiss at the accident site?"

"No." David replied, "It seems like Emma was in a hurry to pick Henry up and she missed the sign warning of a diversion on the road due to construction. Her Bug crashed into a tree when she tried to swerve away from the ditch ahead. The construction workers there called 911 after they saw no movement in the car."

Regina merely nodded in acknowledgement and let David be on his way. Although she was relieved that no one had deliberately tried to harm Emma, she could not help feeling a bit miffed at the Sheriff for such irresponsible driving. She was definitely going to give the Sheriff a hard time for this once she recovered.

The next day Regina brought Henry to the hospital to see his birth-mother. Although Emma had recovered enough to breathe on her own, she had to keep very still to prevent the sharp jabs she felt in her chest every time she took too deep a breath. When she saw Henry and Regina at the door, her face lit up. Henry in his excitement bound towards her and Regina stopped him just before he pounced on Emma; reminding him of her rib injury. Henry leaned on the bed and gingerly placed one arm across Emma. Emma patted him gently and kissed him on his head.

Dr. Whale came in to check-up on Emma and after finding everything satisfactory, announced that Emma could go home in two days but needed at least a month of bed rest to recover completely. Snow and David were ecstatic that their little girl would be home soon but Henry's face fell at the news. When Emma noticed the look she asked,

"Hey kid, what's wrong? I'll be home soon, why look so sad now?"

"Yeah, but I won't be able to see you as often until you recover. Unless...," Henry's eyes darted to Regina.

"Mom, can Emma stay with us until she gets well? That way I will be able to spend time with both of you."

Regina's heart soared at her son's request. She would be thrilled to have Emma in her home, but she looked tentatively at Snow and David before she replied,

"Well, if it's alright with Miss Swan and her Charming parents, I'll be happy to have her with us."

Emma quickly looked at Snow as if imploring her to say yes. Snow was hesitant to have Emma live with the Evil Queen, but she didn't object for Henry's sake. Also, she knew Emma would probably be more comfortable, and recover quickly, in the Mayor's mansion than on the bed in her living room. So it was decided.

When Emma was discharged two days later, Regina picked her up from the hospital, while Henry got her room ready and Snow brought Emma's stuff over to the mansion.

On the drive home, Regina looked at the Sheriff and asked, "So, what was so important you needed to tell me that you had Whale call me when you were brought in from the accident?"

"What?" balked Emma, "I asked Whale to call you?"

"Yes. Whale said you were asking for me while you flitted in and out of consciousness. Did you see something or someone that you thought would be a danger to Henry or anyone in this town?" Regina elaborated.

"No. I was running behind schedule at the station and I realized I would be late to pick up Henry. I was in a hurry and didn't see the stupid "Work in Progress" sign. I missed the diversion and would have landed in the ditch had I not swerved."

"Really, Miss Swan, with your track record of clocking miles on the road, I thought that you would have known that hitting a tree is no better than landing in a ditch."

"Yeah, I know now. I didn't realize how close I was to the side of the road when it happened. Oh well, you live and learn."

"Indeed. But you still didn't answer my question, Miss Swan. Why did you ask for me?"

"I don't know, Regina. I probably was having delusions because I don't remember anything after I crashed."

Regina didn't push it any further but Emma's stomach was in knots. She remembered everything but she didn't know why she wanted Regina by her side. She was over the moon to wake up to Regina holding her hand with such tenderness. She had never seen the Evil Queen so worried and broken with tears running down her face. All she knew was she wouldn't survive without Regina. With every passing minute it was getting harder to breathe and she wanted Regina to hold her hand while she felt the weight of a ton of bricks on her chest.

After coming back to Storybrooke, Emma realized how much she missed Regina. She had grown so accustomed to having Regina by her side that now when she hardly saw her she felt sad, like a big part of her was missing. She didn't feel this way when Neal left her to rot in prison. In fact she was so annoyed with him even after all these years that she couldn't help but wish that he had remained dead. But with Regina, she just couldn't lay her finger on why she cared for someone she was supposed to hate. Wasn't she the reason behind the sufferings of her childhood and why she had to live without a family for so long? That's what everyone, including her parents, expected of The Savior.

After settling Emma into the guest bedroom, a suitable arrangement was worked out wherein everyone took turns caring for her. Snow would arrive early in the morning with breakfast, Ruby brought in Emma's lunch and Regina took care of dinner. Needless to say, Emma enjoyed all the attention she got. While she was recovering well, it still hurt when she laughed hard at Ruby's jokes. Emma's movements were strictly restricted between the bathroom and the bed and she would get a stink eye from Regina if she attempted to even set foot outside her room. The only time she was allowed downstairs, and that too with Regina watching her like a hawk as Henry helped her down the stairs, was for dinner and then maybe a little round of video games with Henry.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the town, Regina and Belle had a little book club of their own. They would meet every weekend to discuss the books they had read. While Ruby filled Emma in on the town gossip, Regina and Belle would have elaborate discussions on the author's viewpoint, choice of words and every imaginable parameter that made a book worth their time. It was fun to watch them disagree and debate over the poignant points and the author's intentions. While no one doubted Regina's persuasiveness, it was a whole new experience watching Belle's transformation from sweet and gentle to fierce and bold when she defended her stand. It was no wonder then that Belle and Regina became such fast friends given that they both shared a passion for books that no one else in town seemed to have. Ruby and Emma would simply watch them awe-struck as they went after each other on the smallest detail.

One evening when Emma was bored out of her mind in her room; (after all there is only so much TV one can take when the writers of a show keep ignoring the obvious chemistry between two characters and pairing them with other boring characters), she decided to sneak into Regina's study and rummage through the source of her entertaining Saturday dinners with Belle and Ruby. Regina had quite an extensive taste in books. It included everything from old English classics to science fiction. Emma was amused to find a well-worn copy of Urban Dictionary on Regina's desk. Although the prim and proper Mayor Mills hardly ever used crass words, she sure knew how to stay on top of it. But there was one book on the shelf that caught Emma's attention and fired her curiosity. Now this was something she could not have ever imagined being in Regina's collection.

While she was perusing through it, a voice behind made her jump out of her skin. She wasn't expecting Regina home so early. Clutching her sides and wincing in pain, she turned to face Her Royal Highness with a hand on her hip.

"You know you are not supposed to be out of bed, Miss Swan. If you puncture your lungs in my house while attempting to sneak around, your Charming parents will have my head at the town square." Regina chided.

"I know. I was bored of watching TV shows with limited imaginations and so I thought I should attempt a taste of some of your source of pleasure, which, I might add, you keep well-hidden." Emma countered with a smirk.

"Hmm. I never would have pegged you as a serious reader. I thought gossip magazines would be more up your alley but you surprise me Sheriff."

"Not as much as you surprise me Madam Mayor with your choice of reading. I never would have pegged you as a woman of science. Doesn't that go against the principles of magic?" Emma asked curiously while holding up the book to Regina.

Regina smiled at the title, _The Quantum Enigma; _it was one of her favorites. She helped Emma to the couch and after adjusting the cushion behind her back to make her comfortable, she took a seat at the opposite end of the couch and said,

"Who says magic and science are separate entities? A lot of phenomena, like eclipses, planetary motion, even evolution, were considered the work of magical forces until science provided a rational explanation, at least in your world."

"True, but how does quantum physics play a part in your area of expertise, Your Majesty?"

"Because the quantum principles of superposition and uncertainty, which ensure that our outcomes are the result of our actions; apply to magic as well."

"I don't follow." Emma looked at Regina with knitted brows.

"It's quite simple, Miss Swan. Like light and matter, magic too has a dual nature. The answers we get depend on the questions we ask. Science does not answer questions we did not ask and neither does magic. So it is what we choose to ask that determines the answer we get."

Emma was taken aback at this explanation. Before she could say anything,

"I'm home," Henry announced as he made his way through the front door and towards the stairs.

"We are in the study, Henry." Regina replied lovingly. Emma looked at Regina as if she was seeing her for the first time.

"Hey Emma, are you okay? You look dazed," asked Henry as he entered the study.

"I'm fine kid. Things have never been clearer." Emma replied once the realization sunk in.

Later that night, as per their regime, Regina checked on Emma before going to bed. When she poked her head in Emma's room, she found Emma already asleep. She went up to her and and lightly brushed away a lose strand of hair lying across her face. She resisted the urge to kiss her forehead and lightly whispered, "Sweet dreams, Emma," before going to her own room.

However, Emma was wide awake. Her eyes snapped open the minute Regina exited her room. She carefully sat up and stared into the darkness.

_The answers we get depend on the questions we choose to ask. _She kept mulling this in her head. Now she had understood why she needed Regina by her side when she was gravely injured, why she was so happy to find Regina holding her hand when she woke up and why she felt conflicted about it all.

When Henry brought her to Storybrooke, he hated Regina and wanted her to believe the same so she would break the curse. After the curse broke, her parents expected her to see Regina as the villain and not stand up for her or defend her. But somewhere between then and now, she had fallen in love with Regina. That's why she was so conflicted. She was both in love with Regina and felt obligated to hate her for all that she had done. This realization had hit when Regina explained how everything exists in a state of superposition until one chooses what one wishes to observe.

So, thought Emma, it was up to her what she wished to observe of Regina. She could choose to see Regina as the Evil Queen like the rest of the town; the one responsible for everything that went wrong in her life and because of whom she had to be The Savior saving everyone's happy endings without finding her own. Or she could choose to see Regina as the woman she fell in love with; the woman who had raised her son so well and who would bend heaven and hell to keep him safe; the woman whose strength and independence she admired so much, it left her speechless; and, most importantly, the woman she wanted by her side in her time of need and who needed her because why else would she be crying holding her hand by her bedside when she thought she had lost her. Regina needed her. Emma smiled at this thought as her choice became clear to her before sleep claimed her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I hope the touch of physics in the last chapter was not a turn off. This time it seems like I moved on to meta-physics. Like I said before, it's my first time at creative writing, so I will deeply appreciate if you guys could give some feedback. A special thanks to OnceUponAShipper for the encouragement to forge ahead.

**Disclaimer:** No copyright infringement or plagiarism intended.

_I sold my soul; you bought it back for me_

The Mayor's mansion was agreeing well with Emma. It had been three weeks since the accident and Emma had recovered enough that she could walk around on her own; even under Regina's watchful glare. But she still had to be careful about making any sudden movements. While she was glad that her house arrest would end soon, she couldn't ignore the sad tug on her heart at the thought of not seeing Regina so frequently anymore.

Regina glanced at her clock in the office. It was way past her usual working hours but she had to finish the budget report for the upcoming town council meeting; and some heads were going to roll. Magic comes at a price. Well, so does running a town and that price being taxes; a concept the people of Storybrooke happily chose to ignore once the curse had broken. She sighed at the thought of how the citizens of Storybrooke, except for a select few, were going to jump her throat when she presented them with the revised budget. And as always, first in line would be the loyal followers of Snow White, the annoying dwarves.

When Regina got home, save for the living room, the mansion was plunged in darkness. She wasn't surprised that Henry had already gone to bed. Although that kid could be bursting with energy all day long, at the stroke of 10 pm his body's off switch would kick in. He would be fast asleep before his head hit the pillow. Regina quietly made her way through the foyer and into the kitchen. Noticing an empty pizza box sticking out of the trash can she realized the Sheriff and their son had decided to have a little party of their own. While she was rummaging through the fridge to find any leftovers,

"Been a long day, huh?" Emma said leaning against the counter.

"Miss Swan," Regina jumped, "You startled me. I assumed you had gone to bed as well."

"Nah. Couldn't sleep. We saved you some pizza. It's in the box on the lower shelf."

"Thank you. But on second thoughts, I'm not so hungry after all. I think I'll just head to bed. Good night Miss Swan." Saying this Regina started moving towards the stairs.

But before she could mount them, Emma caught her hand and asked,

"What's the matter? You seem a bit off."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Miss Swan. I'm very tired and just want to go to bed."

Emma let Regina go but she was not convinced. There was something different about the Queen this evening. Emma noticed this because she had been observing the Mayor quite closely ever since she came to terms with her feelings for Regina; it was as if she couldn't keep her eyes off of her. Emma had memorized every detail of the Mayor's gorgeous face, her deep brown eyes that would light up when Henry would tell her about his day, the subtle upturning of her lips when Emma would accidentally brush against her while helping with dinner, her purposeful gait when she would leave the house every morning to begin her day; and the more Emma saw the woman behind the mask of Mayor and Evil Queen, the more she fell in love with her.

But today something was off. She had never seen Regina's eyes look so pained. Although she had tried to keep an even voice, Emma could make out Regina was struggling with something. Emma brushed it off as her imagination and headed upstairs as well. Just as she was getting into bed, she heard the clicking of a latch followed by muffled footsteps. When she peaked out her door, she saw Regina hurrying down the stairs. Without another thought, she grabbed her jacket and shoes and followed Regina. She kept her distance but never lost sight of her.

When Regina entered her family mausoleum, Emma immediately got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. This can't be good, she thought. She followed Regina soundlessly as she descended the steps into her cellar. She hid herself behind a column and followed Regina's every movement with her eyes. Regina took out her mother's book from its hiding place and started preparing a potion following the instructions in her book. Once it was done, she held the potion in her hand. After a moment's hesitation, she took a deep breath and downed the contents of the flask in its entirety. After a while, her body started convulsing and a strange light was seen leaving her body. Regina was prepared for this. She grabbed an empty flask and quickly trapped the aura before it could escape. Exhausted, she fell on the floor.

Emma stood in her hiding place, dumbstruck. After a while Regina managed to pull herself together. She stood up before her mirror and looking at her mother's final resting place through it she said,

"You were right, Mother. Love is weakness."

Emma saw her eyes in that moment. All the pain she had seen earlier was gone. Instead she saw something, or rather the lack of it that terrified her even more; Regina's eyes were empty, completely devoid of all emotion. She gathered her courage and stepped out to move behind Regina.

"Regina," Emma sighed.

Regina turned to face her. Her vacant brown eyes looked into Emma's green ones. Emma felt her heart break into a million pieces.

"You shouldn't be here, Miss Swan," Regina's voice sounded hollow.

"What did you do?" Emma asked searching Regina's face.

"My emotions were weakening me, Miss Swan. So I took out the source of my weakness." Regina gave out an empty laugh.

"What do you mean?" Emma was befuddled. Regina was not making any sense to her.

"Everything comes at a price, Miss Swan. To move forward on my own, I need to keep a clear head. And I simply paid that price; with my soul. It was causing me a lot of pain. I had to separate it from me before I completely lost control."

Emma's eyes went wide. Regina took out her own soul. The last time the wraith tried to take her soul, she almost died; if not for Emma getting there in time to drive that horrid thing away.

"But what was making you so weak that you had to separate your soul from your body?"

"You, Emma. I was falling in love with you and I couldn't bear the thought of ever living alone in that house after you left. Our feelings originate in our souls and mine was making me weak. So I took it out. Now if I can't feel anything, I won't get hurt."

"But neither will you be happy," Emma's astonishment knew no bounds. Regina loved her. She had known that, but now she knew how much.

"I know. That's why I said everything comes at a price. But what matters to me most is Henry's happiness and safety. And his happiness comes from being with you. I may never become the mother he expects me to be and I can't bear to see him disappointed in me again."

"Regina, look at me" Emma moved closer to her and cupped her face.

"Didn't you tell me that magic was dual in nature? So if love is the most powerful of all magic, I am guessing even that must have duality. Why can't you choose for love to be your strength instead? Henry loves you and no one could have raised him better. Don't do this to yourself, Regina." Emma begged.

Regina backed away from Emma and turned her face so she didn't have to see herself falling in the ocean of her emerald eyes.

"I don't want your pity, Miss Swan," the hardness was back in her voice.

Emma grabbed Regina's elbow and swung her around, "I don't pity you, Regina. I love you."

It was Regina's turn to be astonished now. She could not believe her ears. She stood there like a rock, speechless.

Emma softened her tone, "I have loved you for a long time. I just didn't realize it until that day when you were trying to explain me quantum physics. I was confused all along about why I missed you so much after we got back from Neverland, why I asked for you at the hospital, and why I long for you when you are not around."

She could feel Regina relax under her touch. She took both her hands in hers and continued,

"When you said that the answers we get depend on the questions we ask, on the observations we choose to make; that's when it hit me. I was in love with you. I could have chosen to hate you like my parents, and most of the town, expect me to, but I chose to love the wonderful, independent and strong woman that you are. You take my breath away, Regina. I don't know when and how I fell in love with you but I sure am glad I did."

Emma's eyes had welled up.

"Oh, Emma…," Regina sighed. She would have cried if she could.

She moved further into Emma's arms and their foreheads touched.

"Now please put your soul back in. As much as it hurts to see you in pain, it hurts me more to see you as if you were set in stone," Emma pleaded with her.

"I can't put it back," Regina shook her head; her eyes downcast.

"What do you mean you can't put it back? Mix a potion from your recipe book and let it back in again." Emma's patience was wearing thin.

"It doesn't work that way, Emma. When I took my soul out, I placed a curse on myself. I can't break it."

"Then I will," saying that Emma seized Regina by her neck and kissed her. With her other hand she opened the bottle and Regina's soul instantly went back into its old home; Regina's heart.

Regina felt the warmth course through her body. She rounded her arms around Emma's waist and pulled her closer. Their kiss deepened and it broke only after they had felt their souls warm their hearts.

They stood in each other's embrace. "Thank you," Regina breathed.

"For what?" Emma pulled back. She was relieved to see the softness and glow in Regina's eyes.

"I sold my soul; thank you for bringing it back to me."

Emma simply kissed her back in reply.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** First off, apologies for abandoning this story for a while. I ran out of ideas for what I started with. I had intended this story to be a romantic one, but looks like it is not my forte. So instead I have tried to add a bit of intrigue this time. This chapter features a fictional character I have long admired, Ms. Irene Adler, from the Sherlock Holmes series. The parts here are inspired by the television series "Sherlock" and in particular from the episode, "A Scandal in Belgravia". Please let me know in your reviews, comments or messages if you like the idea of Regina and Irene in a story together. Both are strong female characters very dear to me and I hope I do them justice. Also, I am very open to suggestions about Irene's role in Regina's life._  
_

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement or plagiarism intended.

**Chapter 4**

Regina's good mood over the next few weeks did not go unnoticed by the residents of Storybrooke. She smiled at every passer-by, wished everyone in her office a genuine "Good Morning", and tipped Ruby generously every time she stopped by the diner. Emma had recovered completely by now and had resumed her duties as town sheriff. She moved back in with her parents and while neither Emma nor Regina was happy with this arrangement, they had both agreed it was the best recourse. They told no one, including Henry, of their feelings for each other because they were still coming to terms with it. While recent events had forced them to face their feelings, there was still the getting-to-know-you part they had to work through. So they did what every normal couple does; they started dating. Lunch dates, coffee dates, and sometimes even dinner dates, that is, if they could manage without getting the Charmings and Henry suspicious.

One evening Emma surprised Regina at her office. The Mayor was working late that day and the Sheriff dropped by to deliver some last-minute paperwork. Emma deliberately chose that day and time to drop off the paperwork personally because she knew that was usually when Regina worked late and Belle would be helping Henry with homework. Regina's face lit up when Emma walked through her office doors. All the other employees had left by now and there was nothing urgent that needed the Mayor's attention.

"Hello Gorgeous," Emma greeted Regina with a sly smile.

"Good Evening Sheriff," Regina let her eyes feast on the wonderful sight of the love of her life standing before her.

Before either of them could say anything more, a seductive _aah_ sound rang through Regina's cell.

"What was that noise?" Emma asked surprised.

Regina's face went pale. Her expression went from pleased to astonished in that one moment she heard the sound.

"It's a text alert. It means I've got a text," Regina tried to reply nonchalantly.

"Your texts don't usually make that noise," Emma asked suspiciously.

"Well, somebody got hold of my phone and apparently as a joke personalized their text alert noise," Regina tried to brush it off as if it was no big deal.

"So every time they text you…" Another _aah_ sounded before Emma could finish her thought.

"It would seem so," Regina was getting increasingly uncomfortable.

"But how could someone get hold of your phone?" Emma was in sheriff mode now.

"Well, Sheriff, I will leave you to your deductions. I have to get home to our son now," Regina was glad to have finally found an excuse to change the topic. She pecked Emma lightly on the lips and started walking out of her office. But stubbornness personified as Emma Swan was not going to let it go so easily. She followed Regina out of the building and just as she caught up with her, her mother called; perfect timing as always.

"Emma, where are you? You are late for dinner. Is it too much to ask that after 28 years we eat at least one meal as a family," Snow White asked exasperated.

"Yeah Mom. I'm on my way now. I had to drop off some paperwork. I'll be there in 10 minutes." Emma was irritated. She wanted answers but knowing how elusive Regina can be, she knew she didn't have the time now to pursue this any further; not with her mother breathing down her neck.

She walked up to Regina just as she was getting into the car.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Emma said lovingly while giving her a quick kiss.

Regina merely nodded and while she got ready to pull out, she saw Emma leave hurriedly in her resilient little yellow Beetle. For once in her life Regina was glad, grateful even, for Snow White's meddlesome nature. She quickly checked her text.

_I'm not dead. Let's have dinner._

She could not believe it. The Woman was back. But how? She was sure she had a confirmed report of her death. She looked at the last text she received.

_I'm not hungry. Let's have dinner._

There were very few things that rattled Regina Mills. The Woman was one of them. Had this been two years ago, Regina would have been thrilled to hear from her again. But things were different now. Emma is not going like this. Now that thought surprised her. Since when did she start putting Emma first? But for now she decided to ignore The Woman. Perhaps someone was playing a prank on her or deliberately trying to trick her to believe that she was alive so that they could glean information from her. Whatever it was, Regina decided that she would cross that bridge when she came to it. And with that, she drove home.

Next morning Regina was distracted, to say the least. Even Henry noticed how much his otherwise efficient mother had appeared flustered. She burnt the toast, spilled the coffee and cut her finger while slicing the apples. Frustrated at her efforts to put together a simple breakfast, she finally gave up.

"Henry, get your things. We are having breakfast at Granny's," saying that Regina went into the study to grab her folders and purse. Emma was sitting at the counter drinking coffee and chatting with Ruby when the diner bell announced the entrance of her son and his mother. She smiled warmly at them and followed them to their booth.

"Mind if I join you," Emma asked, "Madame Mayor," she quickly added.

"Of course Sheriff," Regina pointed to the seat next to Henry.

Henry slid over and excitedly beamed at his birth mother. He started listing off all the things he wanted to do over the weekend when Emma noticed that Regina was in a far off place.

"Is everything alright Madame Mayor? You seem distracted," Emma asked with a concerned look.

"Everything is fine, dear," Regina gave a small smile.

"You seem preoccupied with something… or someone," Emma's curiosity was getting the better of her. She could not stop thinking about the texts Regina received last night. More importantly, she could not stop thinking about who could be texting Regina and why had Regina seemed so eager to dismiss it.

"I don't know what you are referring to, Miss Swan," Regina's mayoral mask was back on. Before Emma could retort to that, Ruby arrived with their usual order and Regina took the opportunity to escape.

"I trust you can drop Henry to school, Miss Swan? I have some paperwork to catch up on," Regina got up to leave.

"Sure," Emma nodded, but couldn't get rid of the suspicious look on her face.

Regina hurried to her office. It had been difficult enough keeping the thoughts of The Woman out of her mind and now she was certain Emma suspected something was up. She knew that Emma's tenacity would not let her keep her secret. One way or another, the Sheriff will find a way to uncover her history with The Woman and she decided that it would be best if Emma heard it from her than find out any other way.

She called Emma.

"Madam Mayor, how may I help you?" Emma answered the phone sarcastically.

Regina knew this wasn't a good sign. She needed Emma to be on her side.

"Emma, I need to talk to you," Regina began nervously.

"Oh, now you want to talk. After giving me the cold shoulder this morning, I imagined you would need some more time to thaw." Emma was upset that Regina could so easily revert back to her old ways.

"Emma, please. This is important and I want you to hear it from me. Can we meet for lunch?" Regina was getting apprehensive.

"Regina, what is it? You have not been your usual self since you got those texts last night. Should I come over now?" Emma's voiced was laced with concern.

"No. It's not that urgent. I'll meet you for lunch in my office. One o'clock sharp. Until then I suggest you get back to your Sheriff duties," Regina was back in her mayoral form.

"Ok. I'll pick up your favorite salad."

"Thank you. See you then."

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. Or as uneventful as it can get every time Regina's phone went _aah_.

_Good Morning, Ms. Mills._

_How are you this morning?_

_I'm fine since you didn't ask._

Regina did her best ignore the texts. As the hours ticked by, she was getting increasing nervous. Not because The Woman was back, but because she had no clue how to explain her complicated situation to Emma. She was lost in thought when her secretary lightly knocked and nervously poked her head in.

"Mayor Mills, there is a Ms. Irene Adler here to see you."

Regina's head shot up at the sound of that name. Shocked as she was that The Woman was here in flesh to see her, she did her best to appear calm.

"Send her in. And you may leave for lunch now." Regina managed to keep her commanding voice from wavering. Her secretary opened the door fully to let Ms. Adler through and then closed the door on her way out.

Regina slowly stood from her chair. The sight of Irene Adler in all her impeccable glory knocked the air out of her lungs. But she wasn't going to let The Woman see that. She tried to keep a neutral expression.

"Hello Ms. Mills," Irene began, imperturbable as always.

"You were dead on a slab. I had confirmed reports from the authorities." Regina couldn't contain herself anymore.

"DNA tests are only as good as the records you keep," Irene replied in the same tone as before.

"And you knew the record-keeper," Regina couldn't help commenting. This was typical Irene Adler.

"I knew what he liked. I needed to disappear." Irene was composed as ever.

"Then how come I can see you and I don't even want to?" Regina's irritation was growing. Nothing could have prepared her for this part of her past showing up like this.

"You don't? You disappoint me Ms. Mills. And here I was hoping you will be happy to see me. But I can see you haven't lost your old touch. Breaking hearts, or was it ripping them?" Irene asked teasingly in her cocky British accent as she slowly approached Regina's desk.

"Regina?" Emma stood in the doorway holding a take-out bag from Granny's. Irene and Regina were both surprised at the voice. Emma took two steps into the room. She looked tentatively from Regina to Irene. She had never seen this woman before but somehow she knew it in her gut that she was the reason behind Regina's odd behavior. She kept looking between the women questioningly.

Regina was paralyzed with inaction. She was so startled by Irene's sudden appearance that she forgot she was meeting Emma for lunch. She stood there still as a statue trying to form words from the billion thoughts running through her mind. Her reverie was broken by Irene's smooth voice,

"Hello, Miss Swan I presume. I am Irene Adler," Irene gently bowed her head while offering Emma her hand.

"Hi," Emma said while shaking it. She looked at Regina again.

"Welcome to Storybrooke, Ms. Adler," Emma continued. "What brings you here?"

Irene began, "Well, Ms. Mills and I are old…," and addressing Regina she said, "What should I call it?"

"Anyway, I have been away for a while and…" Irene continued while facing Emma.

"Why are you here?" Regina interrupted her while giving her the deathly glare. She wanted to get Irene Adler away from Emma as quickly as possible.

"You know me well darling. I make my way in this world, I misbehave. I need to know people will be on my side exactly when I need them to be." Irene was enjoying this. She had never expected to return after all these years to find the Evil Queen so shaken by her presence.

"So how do you make your way in the world?" Emma asked. Her curiosity was piqued. Who was this woman who could make Regina so uncomfortable simply by being in the same room?

"I told you, I misbehave," Irene glanced mysteriously at Emma.

"But it seems like I caught you at a bad time Ms. Mills. You clearly have plans and I would hate to stand between you and your…" Irene let that sentence hang while inspecting Emma from top to bottom. "I will text you later to set up a more convenient time to discuss our arrangement. And now that you know I'm alive, I am hoping you will be more proactive about replying to my texts."

"And just so you know," she said while sauntering over to Regina's desk and slowly running her finger over Regina's cheek, "I have missed those cheekbones."

"See you later Miss Swan. Enjoy your lunch," saying that Irene swaggered out of the office.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Thank you to all the people who are following this story and everyone who has reviewed it. Again, I apologize for the tardiness with the update but inspiration is hard to come by.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement or plagiarism intended.

_And I can't believe it's true; I can't believe it's you_

Once Irene left the office, Emma could feel the green monster of envy rearing its head inside her chest. Although this woman had kept up the formalities, for the most part, clearly she had something more than business in mind. Emma turned to look at Regina, who was still standing paralyzed behind her desk, not moving a muscle.

"What was that?" Emma asked pointing towards the door.

"That, my dear, was Irene Adler, better known as The Woman," Regina spoke in a small voice.

"Ok. Why was she here? What does she want? And what happened between you two?" Emma long gave up trying to be calm. Her patience ran out when she saw Irene touch Regina so seductively and she wanted answers. Now.

"I don't know. She was supposed to be dead. I don't understand how this is possible?" Regina was too preoccupied with Irene's comeback to realize the jealous tone in Emma's voice.

"Who is she, Regina?" Emma asked in a demanding tone.

"She is an enigma. A very intriguing enigma," Regina spoke slowly and reverently.

Emma could not believe this. But before she could react to Regina's words, her phone rang with duty calling.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Emma said to the caller.

"I have to go now. But we need to have a long talk about this." She gave Regina one last you-better-have-a-good-explanation-for-this look and left the Mayor's office.

_I told you, I misbehave_. Irene's words rang in Emma's ears as she made her way back to the sheriff's station after breaking up a fight between Leroy and some guy over a trivial matter.

While anger and jealousy were definitely simmering within her, she couldn't help the curiosity taking over this mysterious and sensuous woman. Then it hit her. Could it be _her_? No. But then after living in a town of fairy-tale characters, nothing really seemed impossible anymore. So once she got to the station, she hurried over to her desk and emptied all the contents of the bottom drawer on the top of the desk. After shuffling through some unwanted stuff, her eyes found the book she was look for.

_The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes Volume 1 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle_

The first short story _A Scandal in Bohemia_ confirmed her suspicions. This was indeed The Woman. The one person to have ever out foxed the famous detective was a woman, The Woman, Irene Adler. Emma was flummoxed. How much weirder could her life get, she wondered. She thought falling in love with the Evil Queen had raised the bar on the most-unimaginable-thing-to-have-ever-happened pretty high. But now the arrival of Irene Adler took that to a whole new level. Brilliant, she thought, just bloody brilliant.

It was past 10 pm in the Mills household. As per usual, Henry was out like a light in his room. Regina sat in her study absolutely still, thinking about all that had passed through the day. When she heard someone knocking softly on the front door, she wasn't surprised. She was expecting it; perhaps that is why she even heard the knocks. She had gained her composure now and went confidently to answer the door, knowing well who was outside. She opened the door and stepped aside to let Irene pass through.

"Would you like a drink, dear?" Regina offered with a kind smile.

"Why, thank you Your Majesty. You seem to have regained your bearings. Sorry for the intrusion earlier, and calling on you at this late hour. But it looks like you were expecting me," Irene spoke bemused.

"Yes. But I will admit I was taken aback by your sudden appearance and that too before Emma. But I am glad you are not dead," Regina replied calmly.

"I knew you would be. We have a long history, Regina. So you know how I love to shock people. And given the time lapse, I just couldn't resist trying that on you," Irene was bantering.

"And you succeeded. Now, why are you here?" Regina asked with folded arms. She didn't like being caught off guard.

"For your famous apple cider, of course. It's been a while since I had the "best apple cider I have ever tasted". Won't you pour me a drink? Or shall I help myself," Irene replied.

"That's not the answer I was looking for," Regina retorted.

"The answers we get depend on the questions we ask," Irene began.

"So it was you then." Regina and Irene turned simultaneously towards the new voice and found the Sheriff standing in the doorway.

"Good evening, Miss Swan," Irene greeted her. "Care to elaborate on that?"

"You were the one who introduced Regina to the whole duality and uncertainty principles of science," Emma replied waving her hands in the air.

"Very good, Miss Swan," Irene was smiling brightly. Turning to Regina she said, "I must congratulate you on your choice, Madam Mayor."

Regina felt a bit uncomfortable at this comment. She glanced at Emma who looked strangely relaxed.

"You know about her?" Regina asked Emma.

"Only the published version," Emma replied, "She is portrayed as a very precocious woman in her story and she certainly is living up to that image. But I have learnt that the stories don't always tell the whole tale."

"My, my, Miss Swan, you really are quite impressive. I never would have pegged you as a book lover," Irene couldn't help smirking.

"Yeah, I've heard that line before. Now, could you explain why you faked your death and why you are in Storybrooke?" Emma replied impatiently.

Regina looked at Emma adoringly. After what surpassed in her office, Regina thought she would have to deal with a jealous Emma in addition to figuring out Irene's motives. But Emma took her by surprise.

"I certainly will. But first, I think your Queen should explain to you our shared history and the arrangement we agreed upon," Irene looked at Regina, who gave her a small nod.

"The story version is that after the scandal Ms. Adler married some lawyer and fled from England, but that is not true. She came to the Enchanted Forest with Jefferson's help on Victor's recommendation," Regina began.

"I met her in the forest when I was disguised as a commoner trying to track Snow White's whereabouts. She deduced correctly that my subjects were more loyal to Snow White and that my quest for vengeance could not be completed there. So when I decided to cast the curse, she agreed to help me in this world in exchange for providing her cover whenever she needed it."

"But what help could you need from her? I thought the curse provided everything you needed," Emma asked.

"There are limits to everything, including the curse. While the curse took care of things in this town, I needed Ms. Adler's help in keeping up the charade with the rest of the world."

"You see, Miss Swan, the laws of physics don't allow something to come out of nothing. When this town suddenly showed up in this world, there were a lot of things that needed to be taken care of. I acted in the capacity of a consultant, advising our Mayor here how to deal with the workings of a world without magic while making my way in the world." Irene added.

"And let me guess, your "misbehavior" got you in trouble," Emma said sarcastically.

Irene gave a small laugh.

"Quite right, Miss Swan. There were people after me who wanted to kill me. I knew that if they tracked me down here, I would be putting the town at risk. I had to fake my death to get them off my back."

"But why didn't you tell me?" It was Regina's turn to be annoyed.

"Like I said, I didn't want to put your anonymity in jeopardy; lest I should need to call on our arrangement again. Besides, I didn't think you'd care. Remember, darling, sentiment is a chemical defect found in the losing side. I was just playing the game," Irene replied nonchalantly.

"And surely you won. So why are you here now?" Regina stung back.

"To help you win," Irene shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Regina was clearly offended.

"Now, now, there is no need to get all riled up. I heard about the stunt you pulled with taking out your soul and Miss Swan letting it in. Knowing you as I do, I knew you would have your reservations about falling in love. I am only here to give you the final proof," Irene remain composed.

"I had always assumed love was a dangerous disadvantage. The "happy ending" that appears in all our stories seemed like a useless thing to vie for," Irene continued.

"So you mean Regina doesn't deserve a happy ending?" Emma could barely keep the anger out of her voice. She was tired of hearing the town folk say this over and over again.

"No. That's not what I am saying. Think, Miss Swan. What happens after a happy ending?" Irene asked.

"The story ends," Emma replied confused. She couldn't understand where Irene was going with this.

"Exactly. Being happy is a useless state of mind. Dissatisfaction is what propels us. Think about it. Why would we change anything, or try to, if we are happy," Irene turned to Regina now,

"And that is what scared you, isn't it? You were worried that falling in love will make you happy and you will lose the control that came from your dissatisfaction."

Regina stared at Irene. Even after all these years, this Woman could read her like a book. Of course there was an explanation for how Irene knew and when she would give it, it would all seem "absurdly simple", but right now Regina was only interested in knowing the result of Irene's assessment of her thoughts.

Regina had struggled with this ever since Emma told her she loved her. Regina had taken her soul out because she couldn't deal with her feelings; but having those feelings reciprocated had come with a new set of problems. After the curse had broken, Regina's sole focus was Henry. All she wanted was for Henry to be happy. But falling in love had unexpectedly shown her the door to her happiness and…

"You never imagined this would be the outcome of your choices," Irene interrupted her thoughts as though Regina were having this conversation out loud.

"But… this should not have happened. None of my past actions could have caused me to fall in love with Emma," Regina replied baffled. Now that the cat was out of the bag, she might as well let Emma know of her doubts.

"Yes, they did," It was Emma who spoke this time. Emma had same knowing look on her face as when she figured out she loved Regina.

"You enjoyed it when I challenged you every step of the way. You got a rise every time I defied your orders and proved you wrong. But when I touched you and you opened that portal with the hat, it became intimate, didn't it? You could have let me die when we came back through the well, but by then it was your heart ruling your head. You didn't absorb that curse simply because Henry insisted that good always wins. You did it because you didn't want to give up on that slight chance of seeing me again."

Emma stood there looking pleased with her analysis. She received a nod of appreciation from Irene.

"And don't worry about becoming happy and feeling useless," Irene chimed in, "Because love does not mean a happy ending. It means a new beginning; the beginning of an expedition to a new life with each other. That, darling, is my final proof to you. Let go of your inhibitions and work together to keep this love alive."

Regina looked at Irene with gratitude. Irene had always been the voice of reason all those years when she risked letting her emotions get the better of her. So this validation from Irene meant a lot to her. She turned towards Emma and Emma could see the relief wash over her. Emma knew Regina was having a hard time coming to terms with the sudden turn in their relationship and she wanted to give her as much time as she needed to figure it out.

Regina reached out her hand and Emma gladly took it. She pulled her gently to her side and kissed her forehead. Regina rested her head on Emma's shoulder and softly said "Thank you," to Irene while smiling warmly.

Irene returned the smile with equal warmth and bowed her head accepting the thanks.

"Well, it looks like my work here is done," saying that she moved towards the front door and opened it.

Just as she was leaving, she turned again and addressed Emma,

"Take care of her, Miss Swan and make sure that she never has a moment's rest."

Emma and Regina both smiled brightly at Irene.

"Now, there are the cheekbones I love to see," saying that Irene Adler left.

Regina turned to face Emma and said,

"Emma, I hope you don't doubt my love for you. I never meant... all this..."

Emma cut her off by placing a finger on her lips.

"I don't. I never did. You were so convinced that no one could ever love you, and when I did, you couldn't believe it was true. I am not mad at you for taking your time to believe this, to believe in us," Emma said while gently caressing Regina's back.

Regina snaked her hands around Emma's neck and pulled her into a loving kiss. Surely this was not the happy ending to their story but a new beginning.


End file.
